Veneer-cutting machine.



a sums-snm 1.

.-PATENTBD AUG. 30, 1904..V

0.3. ALLEN. VLNLLR GUTTING MACHINE.v

APPLICATION IILED FEB. 28, 1903.

. No MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904.

' c. E. ALLEN.

VENEEE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATIONFILED JEB. 28, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No MODEL.

l:mfBNTED AUG.301904.

-Y QG..B.ALLEN.' A

VBNEBR V01mm@ MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILE-D IEB. 2B, 1903.

No MODEL. a sums-SHEET s;

u" .a1-w Mllllllm I Patented August so, 19o4.

f UNITED STATES PATENT .I )FEIC E.4 i

'i CHESTER BYNN ALLEN, OE JoII'NSbN CITY, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOE, 'EY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To SAID ALLEN, WILLIAM UITEGROVE, OF NEW YORK, N.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SY., AND JEROME P. UITEGROVE, OF

VENEEFPCUTIINGI MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters llatent No. 769,041, dated August 30, 1904.

Application flied re/bruaryzs, Igea sei-ia1N0.145.476. (No moda.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHESTER BYNoN ALLEN, of Johnson City, in the county of l/Vashington, and in' the State of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Veneer-Cutting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear', and exact description thereof, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a veneer-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of such. machine. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 8 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the knife-carriage. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the cranks. of the connectiony between one of the cranks and the stay-log, and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing the relieving-screw. Fig. 9 -is Ia transverse sectional Aview of the screwrods for moving the knife-carriage, showing the adjustable nut.

The object of my invention has been to produce a veneer-machine having, among others, the following advantages: that of insuring la positive and uniform feed of the knife and wood together, so that veneer of uniform thickness can be lproduced; that of positively and uniformly separating the knife and wood during -the return stroke after having cut the veneer and of having mechanism for this purpose which shallbe durable and not easily aifected by wear; that of having means for readily adjusting theangle of the knife to the wood; that vof having a strong drawing action to the v'cutting during the cutting of the heart or other soft portions of the wood, while at the same time having only an ordinary degree of drawing action'during the cutting of the firmer portions of the wood, and that of having means for limiting Athe travel of the knife toward' and away from the stay-log, so that accidents are'prevented, while quick retracting motion ofthe knife is permitted; and to such ends my invention consists in the veneer-'cutting machine hereinafter specified.

In carrying my invention into. practice in the-instance chosen for illustration I provide A crank-pin.

Fig. 7 is a detail viewy shaft.

a base A, preferably consisting of longitudinal bars c, that are preferably connected intermediate their ends by cross-bars c. Upon the bars c are mounted opposite pairs of bearings cz, in each pair of which is journaled a shaft B, the twoshafts being parallel. lach of the shafts B carries on its forward end a crank C, each of which cranks has a hub c, that is fixed on the end of its respective shaft B, and has an arm c projecting from said hub and carrying at its outer end a crank-pin c2.- vA flange or disk c3 is formed on and preferably integral with the arm c and the-crankpin,I and such disk is concentric with the A stay-log D is secured to the cranks C, as by having the crank-pins c2 pass through holes in the rear face of the stay-log, the outer or forward ends of the crank-pins having washers c4 seated in countersunk recesses in the face of the stay-log and secured to the crank-pins,as by bolts c5. The disks c3 upon the` cranks bearagainst the rear face of the stay-log, and thus aiford extended bearings of the stay-log on the cranks, so as to positively prevent any tilting or twisting of the said stay-log with reference tothe shafts B. The stay-log is provided with the usual or any desired means for holding the block E, from which veneer is to be cut. Upon the rearend of each of the shafts B is secured a gear F, which gears mesh with a pinion G, that is mounted on a shaft H, preferably supported in bearf ings on the frame A. Power is applied to the shaft H to drive the pinion Gr and through such pinion the gears F, and thus to cause the cranks C to carry the stay-log up and down, so that every point in the stay-log travels in a circle. The shaft H may have a belt-pulley and lfriction-clutch or any other desired means for applying power to such Guideways I are secured one at each end of the forward bar c of theframe, and a knife-carriage K is mounted on such guidecomprises a knife-bar L, such bar consisting of a sector-shape end plate Z at each end,

which end plates arexconnccted'bya'- knifesupporting web an apron Z2. and a table 73, the web, apron, and table radiating from a common meeting-point. v The knife is secured knife .is adjusted by bolts I, which bear againstI its lower or rear edge. Each of the end plates carries a trunnion l, that has bearing .in a slide M. which travels in one of the guideways l. The end plates l are each provided with alug l?, projecting, preferably, from an arc-shaped edge ofthe adjacent end plate Z, and each of the slidesM is provided I with screws m, that are threaded into the heads of bolts m, which latter are swiveled in the slides M. The screws 'm bear against opposite sides of the lugs Z7, and by movement of said screws the end plates Z can be swung upon the trunnion Z, so that the angle of the knife to the wood canv be readily and positively adjusted. In order to secure the knife in the adjusted position, bolts N are provided to clamp the plates Z and the slides M together` such bolts preferably passing through an arcshaped slot in the slide M, the are being concentric with the trunnion and passing through a hole in the end plate The upper edges of the slides Mare preferably made horizontal or parallel to the lower edges of such slides, and a presser-bar carrier O is mounted upon said edges, the said carrier having a slotted flange 0, through the slot in which passes a clamping-screw o', the said screw being threaded into the slide M and serving to clamp the presser-bar carrier to the said slide in any desired position toward oraway from the stay log. The presserbar carrier is moved toward and away from the stay-log by screws 02, one at each end, that are threaded horizontallyinto the carrier and that are provided with collars 03, between which a forked plate 04 engages the screw, the said plate being secured to the slide M. By turning the screws 02 the presser-bar carrier can be moved back and forth upon the slides. The presser-bar P is secured to the presser-bar carrier in any desired manner, as by bolts p passing through the presser-bar and threaded through slots in the presser-bar and threaded into the carrier O. Screws 2)', threaded in the carrier O, bear against the rear edge of the presser-bar and serve to adjust the position of the presser-bar relative to its carrier. ,By the above-described means the presser-bar can be readily and accurately adjusted with reference to the cutting edge of l theknife. The presser-barcarrierpreferably consists of vertical and horizontal flanges ff 60 and 0, respectively, connected by an inclined web 07. Brackets m2 are formed on or secured to the slides M upon the outer faces thereof, and screw-boxes Q are secured to the said brackets in positions parallel to the slideways. Screws R are provided, one at each end of to the web Z', as usual, b v bolts F, which pass through the knife and into the web, and the vean@ the machine, to move the lmife-carriage, and such screws have threaded engagement with the screw-boxes Q. The screw-boxes Q are preferably reduced at their ends opposite the brackets to which they are secured, and such' reduced portion is threaded to receive a cap q, which is secured thereon. The cap r/ is also provided with a thread to engage the thread of the screws R and is provided with arcshaped slots concentric with the screws R, through which slots clamping-screws r1 pass, the latter being threaded into the screw-boxes Q. By turning the caps q either forward or backward the screw-threads of the screws R are clamped with any desired degree of lirmness between the threads of the screw-box and the said cap, so that wear can be taken up and a perfect (it always secured. When the caps have been adjusted to the desired positions, they are secured by the clamping-screws. The screws R are received in bearings 1' upon the forward bar al of the frame. The rear end of each screw-shaft R is provided with a shoulder rf, as by reducing the diameter of such shaft, and a screw-sleeve S is mounted upon each screw-shaft R back between the shoulder r' and a sproeket-wheel T, that is secured upon the rear end ofthe said screw-shaft, the sleeve fitting between the said shoulder a nd wheel, so that it can turn upon the screw-shaft, but can have no longitudinal motion with reference tothe screw-sh aft. Each sleeve S is provided with a screw-thread upon its periphery, and such thread is received in and engaged by a thread in a screw-box 1"", that is secu red upon the rear longitudinal bar a of the frame A. rlhe screw -boX r2 is preferably constructed with a cap similar to the cap q, but constructed so that there may be no lost motion between the screw-sleeve and the box. Each sleeve S has formed on it or secured thereto an arm s, said arms being connected by a connectingrod s', so that the said arms shall move in unison. One of the arms .v is united by a connecting-rod to an arm U upon a rock-shaft u, the latter having bearing` upon the frame. A second arm al of the rock-shaft `11 is united by a connecting-rod 11.3 with a lever V, that swings upon a shaft WV, having bearings in a bracket w on the frame. The connections between the connecting-rod .v2 and the arm s and between the connecting-rod 'a3 and the lever V are preferably adjustable, so that the degree of movement of the arm .s fo a given movement of the lever V canbe varied. The shaft W is provided with a ratchet-wheel fw', that is engaged by a pawl w on the lever V, so that the said shaft is turned when the lever V is moved in one direction. The shaft \V carries a sprocket-wheel w, that is connected by a sprocket-chain fw3 with a sprocket-wheel X upon one of the screw -shafts R. The

ratchet-wheel has its teeth turned in such a direction that when the screw-sleeve S 1s moved by its connections with the lever V to thefrontor intothe'screw-box r2 thel pawl fu ride'sovlerthe-teeth of the ratchet-wheel,1 and j when'theleverV is moved in theopposite vdii rection the said pawl engages'the'teethof the l The result is that when the? screw-shaft Ris turned inthe screw-box Q on the'knife-carriage, thus draw-ing the knifecarriage toward .the stay-log, a further movement'in the sanie direction is produced by the i turning'of the screw-sleeve S in the screw-box i 'r2 and that when owing to swingingof the le- 3 ver-Vin theopp'osite direction the pawl rides idlyover the-ratchet-wheel 'and the screwsh'aft -R-is not turned the vscrew-sleeve' Sis screwed into the box r2 andcarries with it the screw-shaft R,so that the knife-carriage is 1 retracted fronrtherl 'stay-log: I `Mov`ements of the lever V thus outwardly causes the knifecarriage to advance toward thestay-log twoVV `steps and to-retract onelstep. Thetwo screwsleeves Sare caused to move in'unisonby the connecting-rodss and' the yscrew-shafts R are caused 'to turn-together by a sprocket-chain-" Y, that runs over they sprocket-'wheels T on the screw-shafts. The *sprocket-chain Y can v be tightened iin any desired manner, Aas by idler-sp'rocketwheels z5, vthat engage the up-' 'per' and lower strands, respectively, of the sprocket-chains'and are supported fin a bracket tr, secured "to: the frame. The knife-carriage is run `back away from thefstay-log to permit' securing a new block E tothe stay-log, either by turning the screw-shafts 'R by hand or in' any other vdesired manner', as by connecting a Ibelt-pulleythrough a friction-clutch with revolved'by power.

To limit the travelof the knife-carriage, rods Zare 'secured to the frame parallel to the' guideways I and preferably pass .through thebrackets mzyand such rods have'stops se' cured thereon, such as lock-nuts'. The'locknuts can beadjusted so that the knife-carriage cannoty be runawayfromthe stay-log beyond the desired position and so that vsuch carriage cannotbe runcloser lto the. stay-log than'is safe. "The level `of thefcutting edge of' the knife" is preferably that of the centers on one' of thegsha'fts R, so-that such shaft can be" which the cranks' Cturnyand it is preferably sol chosen that as the 'crank-pins approach the lower limits v,of their travel the knife will be` cutting the upper edge oftheblock. Then when the block is secured to the stay-log so that the heart orrsofter portion thereof lis at the upper edge of such block 'the' block will be travelingin aposition very much inclined toward the horizontal-f e., nearlyapproaching ahorizontal direction-sor` that the relative motion of thekn'ife and block 'will be largelyl parallel to the edge of the knife, anda'strong shearing action will occur, which action is most hfavorable to the cutting of the softerportionslof the block; 'To balancethe stay-log, co'unterweightscan be secured, prefthe gear-wheels F;

Ingthe operation of-niy veneer-cuttingmachine,` the; knife-carriage. K being in a' position awayfrom the stay-log', the block Eis secured lto the stay-log andthe knife-carriage is run up close to the stay-log. The shaft H vis then set in motion, thus causing the shafts B and the cranks C to revolve. This causes the stay-log to move above and below the knifey and to have during the lower portions of its travel the drawing action, which has been before described.' The lever V is then caused to oscillate either by hand or by power, as de" sired, and whenv its upper end is swungtoward fp the machine -it causes the screw-shafts'R'to turn upon their axes and causes the screwboxes Q Ato travel upon the vthreads on the screw-shafts, thus drawing the knife-carriage toward the stay-log. The same movement 'of thev lever V causes the shaft u to oscillate, which motion is communicated to the arms s,

thus causing the sleeves S to turn'in the screwboxes 112. This causes the said'sleeves to travel away from lthe stay-log and to carry the screwtion of the knife-'carriage toward the stay-log I kin addition to the motioncaused by the travel of the screw-boxes Q upon the screw-threads ofthe screw-shafts. then-.cut during the downward motion of the stay-log, and rin 'order to prevent thedrag-f ging of the knife over the surface of the block I of wood during the upward motion of the stay-2 log the lever V is swung away fromthe machine', and during this 'motion the pawl o travels idly over the ratchet-wheel, and the: shaft u is rocked so as to screw the 'sleeves S into the boxes 702,' whichv causes a bodily lmovement of the screw -shafts R., so as to carry the knife-carriage away `from the staylog. ln'actual practice `I have found the moknife a'most desirable one, the machine permitting the draw to be suited to the firmness of the respective portions of the block as they are being cut. l have also fou-nd Vthe mechanism for moving the knife-carriage and for revolving the knife during the return 'stroketo be positive in its action and not `easily worn, and when' wear takes place I lind that I can take itup, so that a positive gearing I'find that the motions of the vscrew shafts-'can be maintained alike, so that the The sheet of veneer is IOO IIO

action can be maintained. Bythe use. of 1 sprocket-wheels and a sprocket-chain to con-v neet the screw-shafts R instead of the bevelknife-carriage'remains parallel to the staylog.` I also find this of' great v'advantage inconnection with my mechanism for revolving thev knife during the return stroke, since 'all'A play is avoided, and thus the small degree of turning of the screw-shafts which itis practical to eflectby means of swinging arms, such as the arms s, 1s suiiieient to secure the desired release. 1 have found the means for limiting the travel of the knife-carriage to be desirable and to prevent either running the said carriage ofi' its guides or olf the screwshafts or runningv the said carriage so close to the stay-log as to permit the stay-log to hit the carriage. The means for adjusting the angle of the knife to the wood I have found to be easy to operate and positive in its action and to be desirable, because the angle of the knife to the wood should be varied with the wood and with the thickness of the veneer to be out. It is obvious that the same relative movement of the knife through the block would be obtained if the stay-log were` stationary and the knife given a circular motion instead of the stay-log.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1n a veneer-cutting machine, the combination of a stay-log, a knife-carriage, screwrods on one of said parts and screw-boxes on the other of said parts fordrawing said parts together, screw-sleeves, each of which is jourscrew-boxes mounted on the frame of the machine, each of which screwdnoxes is provided with au internal thread adapted to engage the thread on its respective screw -sleeve, cach screw-box being also provided with a Cap having a thread that is adapted to engage the thread on the screw-sleeve and also having a thread that is adapted to engage a thread on its screw-box, bolts threaded into .said screwboXes and passing through arc-shaped slots in said caps, whereby the threads in said screw-boxes and caps can be adjusted 'relative to each other to engage and fit opposite sides, of the threads of said screw sleeves, and whereby said screw-boxes and caps can be secured in adjusted position by means of said bolts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand.

CHESTER BYNON ALLEN. Vitnesses:

R. M. VVATKINS, JNo. H. BowMAN. 

